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Isaimozhi
Thamizh album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kannukkulle Kadhala

From Thamizh · 2002

Lyricists
Not listed
Singers
Unnikrishnan, Swarnalatha
Music director
Bharathwaj
Movie name
Thamizh
Movie release year
2002
Lyrics added on
22 Feb 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kannukullae kaadhala
Kandadhum nenjil thendrala
Ennai yedho seigiraai
Ennil yedho koigiraai
Mana vayal engum indru
Mogha mazhai peigiraai
Ennai konjam sellamaaga
Nenjukkullae vaigiraai
Naanghu kangal ulladhae
Un kaadhal ondru dhaan
Male :Kandukonden naanum adhai
Unnaal indru dhaan
Kannukullae kaadhala
Kandadhum nenjil thendrala…aaa….
Oorarindha seidhi
Kaadhal uyirai vaangum vyaadhi
Adhai varumun thadukkum
Thaduppu oosi ulagil illaiyae
Unnai patri paada
Thamizhil enghu vaarthai theda
Adhan padhinettu meiyum
Panniru uyirum podhaadhallava
Nee aasai mozhiyin
Nagha kann dhaan
Nee nagarndhaal
Nagarum nagaram dhaan
Nee aangal jaadhiyil
Saivam dhaan
Un asaivaal naanae
Asaivam dhaan
Thalaikerum bodhai
Thadumaarum pennae
Kannukullae kaadhala
Kandadhum nenjil thendrala…aaa….
…………………………….
Kaaval nilayam sendru
Thookam kalavu pochu endru
En vizhigal irandum
Yaar yaar meedhoo kutram saatumae
Unnai patri mella
Naan dhaan ulavu paarthu solla
Adi unnai pidithu kaaval thurai dhaan
Koondil yetrumae
En imaiyai medhuvaai
Varudaadhae
En thuyilai dhinamum
Thirudaadhae
Nee vizhiyaal manadhai
Uzhudhaayae
Oru vidhaiyaai neeyae
Vizhundhaayae
Uyir kaadhal poovae
Nee dhaanae vaazhvae
Kannukullae kaadhala
Kandadhum nenjil thendrala…aaa….
Ennai yedho seigiraai
Ennil yedho koigiraai
Mana vayal engum indru
Mogha mazhai peigiraai
Ennai konjam sellamaaga
Nenjukkullae vaigiraai
Naanghu kangal ulladhae
Un kaadhal ondru dhaan
Male :Kandukonden naanum adhai
Unnaal indru dhaan
Kannukullae kaadhala
Kandadhum nenjil thendrala..
Is there love inside your eyes?
Did a gentle breeze sweep through my heart the moment I saw you?
You are doing something to me,
You are plucking something away from within me.
Across the field of my heart today,
You shower a rain of sweet desire.
With gentle affection,
You keep me inside your heart.
Though between us there are four eyes,
The love is only one.
(Male) I too realized that,
Only today, because of you.
Is there love inside your eyes?
Did a gentle breeze sweep through my heart the moment I saw you... aa...
It is news the whole town knows:
Love is an illness that takes your very life.
To prevent it before it strikes,
There is no vaccine in this world!
To sing about you,
Where do I search for words in Tamil?
Even its eighteen consonants
And twelve vowels are not enough, are they?
In the language of desire,
You are its most delicate touch.
When you move,
Even the city moves along.
Among the clan of men,
You are strictly vegetarian,
But with just your movement,
I turn completely non-vegetarian!
It is an intoxication rising to the head,
Leaving you swaying, my girl...
Is there love inside your eyes?
Did a gentle breeze sweep through my heart the moment I saw you... aa...
...
Going to the police station,
Complaining that my sleep has been stolen,
Both my eyes
Will blame all kinds of strangers!
If I secretly spy on you
And tell them the truth,
The police will surely arrest you, girl,
And put you in the witness box!
Over my eyelids,
Do not stroke so softly.
My deep sleep, day after day,
Do not steal away.
With your eyes,
You ploughed my heart,
And like a seed, you yourself
Fell right into it.
Oh precious flower of my soul's love,
You alone are my life.
Is there love inside your eyes?
Did a gentle breeze sweep through my heart the moment I saw you... aa...
You are doing something to me,
You are plucking something away from within me.
Across the field of my heart today,
You shower a rain of sweet desire.
With gentle affection,
You keep me inside your heart.
Though between us there are four eyes,
The love is only one.
(Male) I too realized that,
Only today, because of you.
Is there love inside your eyes?
Did a gentle breeze sweep through my heart the moment I saw you?
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Kannukkulle Kaadhala is a melodious duet from the 2002 Tamil film 'Thamizh', featuring music composed by Bharadwaj and lyrics written by Vairamuthu. The song vividly illustrates the tender, overwhelming feeling of falling in love. The lovers describe love as a gentle breeze in the heart and compare it to an incurable yet delightful affliction for which no vaccine exists in the world. Using inventive imagery and playful Tamil linguistic metaphors—such as referencing the 18 consonants and 12 vowels of the Tamil language, as well as agricultural metaphors of ploughing the mind and planting seeds—the song captures how romantic affection reshapes reality, stealing sleep and completely captivating the senses of both lovers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

“Mana vayal engum indru / Mogha mazhai peigiraai”

Compares the human mind to an agricultural field ('mana vayal') and romantic desire to a downpour of rain ('mogha mazhai').

Wordplay / Pun (Sleidai)

“Nee aangal jaadhiyil saivam dhaan / Un asaivaal naanae asaivam dhaan”

Plays on 'saivam' (vegetarian/pious) and 'asaivam' (non-vegetarian) alongside 'asaivu' (movement), contrasting temperamental purity with physical allure.

Linguistic Imagery / Allusion

“Adhan padhinettu meiyum / Panniru uyirum podhaadhallava”

References Tamil grammar concepts—18 consonants ('padhinettu mei') and 12 vowels ('panniru uyir')—to emphasize that ordinary language fails to describe the beloved.

Agricultural Metaphor

“Nee vizhiyaal manadhai uzhudhaayae / Oru vidhaiyaai neeyae vizhundhaayae”

Depicts love as an agricultural process where a glance acts as a plough and the lover becomes a seed planted inside the heart.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“En imaiyai medhuvaai varudaadhae / En thuyilai dhinamum thirudaadhae”

Uses rhyming verb endings ('varudaadhae' / 'thirudaadhae') to establish a rhythmic musical cadence across lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Thamizh' (2002) marked the directorial debut of blockbuster filmmaker Hari and starred Prashanth alongside Simran. The soundtrack was composed by Bharadwaj with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. The song 'Kannukkulle Kaadhala' became widely admired for Vairamuthu's creative inclusion of Tamil alphabetic rules ('Uyir Ezhuthu' and 'Mei Ezhuthu') within romantic poetry, playful lyrics.

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